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TeeHee asked in PetsOther - Pets · 1 decade ago

Yahoo vets-Rabbit Problems-?

-Three week old rabbits.

-My mom forgot to bring them in for the night

-Went to feed them today, and they are fine, exept one of them, who used to be the most active one, but now he just sits and is pretty unresponcive.

-If its any help, once i put him back into the hutch after inspecting him, his mother pushed him around a little and he is like a puppet....

-Could it be a cold??? Cant take him to a vet, so could a cold do that to a rabbit? I will keep them inside for this holiday weekend from now on.

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    It sounds like your baby might be what breeders call a fader. This is usually known as the runt. They may or may not be smaller than the siblings but generally, they aren't as strong and always do just that, fade away. They'll be very active one day and lethargic the next. It's possible it's acting this way from the cold but if the others weren't affected then it's probably because it is the weaker one.

    Can you feel his bones? Does he sit with his eyes half open? These are signs of a fader. It's definitely best to leave it with it's mother and siblings in case its just feeling under the weather. It'd give it a chance to continue to nurse. I'd check on it every few hours. You could try letting it lick some baby food (bananas and sweet potatoes are favorites) to see if that will liven him up.

  • 1 decade ago

    Three week old rabbits should still be nursing from their mother!

    Bring them inside and warm them up. Do they have a proper nest with mom? It should be in a nestbox, or a cardboard shoe box, lined with towels, hay & mother's fur. The babies should be covered with mother's fur and her hutch should be placed in a non-drafty area.

    It's not a cold. ;) It's from the cold. ;)

    Do NOT keep him away from his mother! He needs his mother and siblings! Make a warm nest for them and put the kits back in with mom!

    If she is feeding them, you should NOT be supplementing them with KMR!

    Please, join www.rabbitsonline.net It's a great breeder/pet owner friendly forum with LOTS of information! Post in the Rabbitry & Showroom section, and the reputable breeders there will help you out! Especially with anything involving PROPER formulas for baby bunnies. ;)

    Source(s): Rabbit owner, breeder & exhibitor of 5 1/2 years. www.rabbitsonline.net
  • CF_
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    yes cold can do this.

    the poor thing might have brain damage.

    its hard to say for sure - it depends on how cold it is overnight where you are if cold is the problem or not..

    if it does not get below freezing I doubt this is the problem

    try to make sure it is hydrated - if you have a eye dropper or syringe (no needle) give it a TINY amount of water - dont squirt too much or too fast or you may get it into the lungs.

    if you have KMR you can offer this too (its for kittens)

    good luck.

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